Abstract1: There is presently no formal protocol for the preparation and handover of a building and its documentation. As a result, many buildings are not being properly handed over on practical completion. When this happens, it is likely that the building will be used inappropriately and inefficiently, leading to the dissatisfaction of its users and wasted energy resources. This Digest describes BRE's proposed new handover protocol – Handover of Office Buildings Operations (HOBO). It encourages handover to be seen as a process of many activities with emphasis on information exchange, training, demonstration and fine-tuning.